How to do Cobra Stretch
Lie face down with your hands under your shoulders. Press through your palms to lift your chest off the floor, keeping your elbows slightly bent and your hips on the ground. Let your lower back and core lengthen rather than cranking your neck back.
How long to hold it
The most common recommendation for Cobra Stretch as a static stretch is a single 20 second hold. That is exactly how this timer is pre-configured: press start and it counts the hold for you, with 20 seconds of rest afterward. Since it's a symmetric position with no side to switch to, there's just one continuous hold — your eyes never leave the floor.
Common mistakes
Pressing up with the arms alone and shrugging the shoulders toward the ears, cranking the neck back instead of keeping it in line with the spine, and lifting the hips off the floor instead of keeping them grounded.
Why it's worth doing
Hours of sitting hunched forward shorten the abs and pull the shoulders in, reinforcing a rounded posture. Cobra directly opens the front of the body — abs, chest, and hip flexors together — making it one of the more noticeable posture-related stretches for anyone who sits most of the day.
Variations
Full Cobra (main version): the standard version, arms mostly extended. Baby Cobra: lift just a few inches, elbows staying bent and close to the body — gentler on the lower back. Sphinx Pose: forearms flat on the floor instead of pressing through the hands — a lower-intensity way to reach the same area.
Who should be careful
If you have lower back pain, keep this shallow and stop if it sharpens rather than eases the discomfort — Baby Cobra or Sphinx are gentler starting points. Pregnant individuals commonly avoid lying face down; check with a doctor for alternatives.
FAQ
How long should I hold Cobra Stretch? A single 20-second hold is a common recommendation, and it's exactly how this timer is pre-configured.
What muscles does it target? Primarily the abs and front of the core, with the chest and front of the shoulders stretching as well.
Why is there no switch-sides phase? Because both sides of the core stretch at the same time in one symmetric position — there's no side to switch to, so this timer uses a single hold instead.
Related stretches
Spinal Twist Stretch Timer · Hip Flexor Stretch Timer · Chest Stretch Timer
Want the anatomy and the "why"? Read the Abs & Core muscle guide.
About this timer
ExtendTimer is a free stretching timer with sound cues for every phase: a steady tick while you hold and an alert as the hold ends. It works offline, installs to your home screen like an app, and needs no account. Create a free account and it also tracks every session — total minutes stretched, your most-worked muscles on a visual front/back body map, and saved routines — so you can see your consistency build up over time. Routines of up to two stretches are free forever; Pro ($4.99/month or $29.99/year) unlocks unlimited routines, custom recorded sounds for any phase, and curated multi-stretch routine presets.